The Autopsy Is Still Inconclusive…

This Sunday school drop is for the seven readers that would even think to read my column on a Sunday as opposed to doing other shit like a) masturbating to Maya Hills videos pulled down from xnxx.com, b) watching ‘Like It Is’ with Gil Noble, c) sleeping, d) did I say masturbating?

I just read a great article inside of the Village Voice about the demise of the record industry. I call it a great article even though I ultimately disagree with the author.

Voice columnist Rob Harvilla interviews author Steve Knopper and he ultimately concludes that the death knell for the record industry was the rebuke of Napster. This guy Knopper thinks that if Universal Music Group or (name your label) had adopted the social networking possibilities within the file-sharing community these record labels would have been able to stave off their deaths.

Nahh, I don’t think so. Just like we will eventually run out of fossil fuels that we extract from the Earth the need for oversized distribution systems for music (and entertainment) for that matter was bound to run its course. Technology finally pushed these dinosaurs off a cliff. Monetizing content on social networks will not support the top heavy burdens that major labels carry. Their executive salaries alone cut away any profit that they might garner from .99 cent downloads and ringtones.

The only thing that could support these executives were CD sales. $16.99 CD sales. Those days are long gone now. I think I bought two CD’s in 2008. I didn’t even copp ’808′s & Heartbreak’ and this was my favorite album of the year. Maybe I can return my ‘Rising Down’ to Target and exchange it for 808′s? I doubt that though. I look at all the CD’s in my collection and I definitely feel like I did my part for the music industry.

My solution for the recording industry is for buyouts to start taking place, but NOT from other media companies. The truth is that media companies are now a dime for a dozen. Anyone with a weblog and a YouTube channel is a media company. Byron Crawford doesn’t even have a YouTube channel and he is a media company. Nah’Right is a media company that helps disseminate current content for other media companies. Crunk & Disorderly and Concrete Loop are both media companies. The only thing that a media company has of value are the eyeballs of their viewers.

Some media companies mistakenly have their lawyers attack other media companies because they claim to have exclusive broadcasting rights to some piece of content. Do you think that the content gives a flying fuck who owns it? Hells no. The content wants to be free to be viewed and praised and critiqued and loved and hated. I know that these corporate lawyers need to justify their salaries just like the record label executives did but if there are some heads that need to see the guillotine it should be the lawyers up next.

The only way for the music industry to survive now is for companies that sell other types of products that people buy out of need or desire to produce compilation CD’s to be included with those products. Like for instance, with every pair of Nike ACG boots you get a free Wale CD featuring his Nike boots song. When you buy some alcohol like cognac (negro health water) you will get a CD with all the songs that mention Hennessy. It shouldn’t be old music either. All you artists on the come up need to get your jingles game up and start making some commercials for your favorite products. Maybe Kool-Aid might pick y’all up and sign y’all to their new label – Grape Drink Records.

This is the only hope for the record industry at this point. There won’t be any government bailout for UMG or Sony, but hopefully Fruit of the Loom or Tropicana wants to get into the music buisness.

fifth of seven. And who says i can’t masturbate, sleep, masturbate AND read your blog in between on a sunday?

DV8

Hiphop isnt dead it just went underground again and its all digital now.

Niggaz just have to stop being lazy and finally learn how to “fuck with computers”.

mr.martin

shock bloggers… 2pac is the reason why you do this. Like Busta said, they the reason why a lot of you have “jobs” today. You sang his lyrics, probably has his posters. Now for some shock value not even really related to your opinons, you gotta place his dead body up. You a clown for that shit, but then again shock is what keeps hip-hop alive for another day, right?

Worley

Labels are getting what they deserve. I’m from the old school so I remember waiting all day to hear a particular song on the radio and then waiting six months for the album only for the sh*t to be sold out. All of those artificial shortages made n*ggas creative. Necessity is the mother of invention.

All hail the internet. The bullsh*t is over.

dat koon nigga

When you buy some alcohol like cognac (negro health water)

LzOLz

AVENGER XL

Now I love some downloads because it lets me try before I buy and get this I do support the artists who I get illegal down loads on that I like. I also like to point out a lot of time I buy used cds dirt cheap and that is another blow on the industry because they are not earning any money on the used cd market either but I don’t see them trying to stop Amazon or coconuts from selling them.

Now if they had jumped in and at least embraced napster, rather than punish the public who they had already extorted for 16.99 for a Damn master p album uuuunnnnnnn(note that is for comic release only I did not purchase nor do I condon the purchase of any master p products)Then they would have faired better in the long run and may have even been able to realign a little easier but their time has come. Mainly due to the net and other forms of media taking entertainment dollars. The period in which everyone was replacing their records with cd’s is long dead so what’s left?

Pierzy

What up BXS…

Isn’t this a major reason why big acts are signing with Live Nation? Instead of just a record deal, it’s an “everything” deal, particularly touring, and that gives the artist (and the company) much more opportunities for revenue growth and sharing.

http://www.xxlmag.com danny

jus facee it e fakin de ole ting

Peru (Chicago)

Damn I thought I was the only nigga up on xnxx.com, I should’ve known niggas would’ve found out bout that shit by. There is some other shit out there too better than that. If you need beat ya meat material… don’t ask me cuz that shit is gay!!!

these posts are racist

Your Gaza post was on point…realest/greatest stuff you ever wrote, in my humble opinion. But why disrespect Tupac like this? A 25 year old prince of the Ghetto…RIP.

TEZZY

I checked out that xnxx.com and it still aint fucking with tnaflix.com

escobar9300

Pretty fuckin disrespectful to post that picture of pac up big homie. I’m sure your peoples wouldn’t find it funny if someone put up a murdered pic of you or one of your fam for a cheap double take over the internet. Have some fuckin respect for the deceased. Get the fuck outta here with your bullshit “blog”.

http://xxlmag.com Billy X. Sunday

Guess what fags, Tupac don’t care about that picture.

these posts are racist

I’m glad you feel like you know what Pac cares about. I didn’t say ‘Pac cared about the picture. I care about posting the picture. You’re purpose is not an honest attempt at promoting a discussion or even voicing an opinion, you’re making fun of a murdered person who touched the lives of millions simply to “shock” blog. It’s not right. It’s not a travesty, but it’s not right.

Pierzy

TPAR, I often appreciate your comments but it really irks me when someone confuses the your/you’re situation…

giantstepp

Ron Mex beating your ass on this blog shit BXS. Step your shit up.

Tupac RIP!

http://xxlmag.com Billy X. Sunday

giantstepp,
Ron Mexx do his thing. Everyone that post up on this piece is sickwithit. That is why you camped out up on this bitch like we selling the Air Jordan retro 3′s.

I don’t race against nobody on this site though and if you knew who your father was you would be embarrassed to have another man’s dick in your hands.

Hardbody.

Anonymous

there is no mckivelli tatoo on the right side of his neck

Cole

Try this…
Do you see the white cloth on the table? You only see part of it until tupac’s head and chest cover it but if you follow you finger or even a ruler across so that it should be lined up, you may notice Tupac’s body is going off the table? And if u look at the Tyson fight picture, tupac’s chin was shaven partly with a tux and in the BMW after he has hair on his chin and him and Suge are in different clothing… Hmm interesting.

Cole

He was also born as Lesane Parish Crooks.
And on the day Tupac went to the Tyson fight his body guards were told to leave their wepons and still body guard him only literally speaking their bodys. They had never been asked to leave their wepons only to have them at all times.